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U.S. NEWS Monday 13 January 2020

Not on form, but brawl over citizenship question continues

By MIKE SCHNEIDER rights groups that helped
Associated Press win the Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court case are seeking sanc-
decided a citizenship ques- tions against Trump admin-
tion won't be on this spring's istration attorneys, saying
census form, but that they hid Hofeller's role in
doesn't mean the fight over concocting the citizenship
it has ended in courtrooms question.
across the country. After the Supreme Court
In Maryland, civil rights blocked the question,
groups are trying to block Trump issued an executive
an order from President order for the Census Bureau
Donald Trump to gather to gather citizenship infor-
citizenship data through mation through administra-
administrative records. In tive records from federal
New York, other civil rights agencies and the 50 states.
groups are seeking sanc- Gathering the citizenship
tions against Trump admin- data would give the states
istration attorneys for not the option to design dis-
turning over documents tricts using voter-age citi-
related to the citizenship zen numbers instead of the
question's origins. Demo- total population, Trump
cratic lawmakers in the Dis- said in his July order. A short
trict of Columbia are fight- In this April 23, 2019 file photo, immigration activists rally outside the Supreme Court as the justices time later, civil rights groups
ing for similar documents, hear arguments over the Trump administration's plan to ask about citizenship on the 2020 census, sued in federal court in
in Washington.
and Alabama officials are Associated Press Maryland, claiming the
suing the Census Bureau citizenship-data gathering
to keep immigrants living murkier for state legisla- Court blocked the Trump tial Republican redistrict- was motivated by "a racial-
in the country illegally from tive districts. "The country administration from add- ing guru, Thomas Hofeller, ly discriminatory scheme" to
being counted during the is changing demographi- ing a citizenship question when the citizenship ques- reduce the political power
process that determines cally, and people in power to the 2020 census. The ad- tion was being drafted in of Latinos and increase the
the number of congressio- believe that the only way ministration had said the 2017. Hofeller, who died in representation of non-Lati-
nal seats each state gets. to stay in power is to disad- question was being added 2018, advocated using vot- no whites."
All of the lawsuits touch vantage minority voters," to aid in enforcement of a ing-age citizens, instead of The civil rights groups said in
on whether the number of said Andrea Senteno, an law that protects minority the total population, as the court papers last week that
citizens, instead of the to- attorney for the Mexican voters' access to the bal- population base for redis- members of the Trump ad-
tal population, will be used American Legal Defense lot box. But the high court tricting. In documents that ministration "conspired to
for redistricting or appor- and Education Fund, one said the administration's surfaced after his death, he reduce the political power
tionment — the process of of the civil rights groups that justification for the question acknowledged his intent of people of color" by fol-
divvying up congressional sued Trump in the Maryland "seems to have been con- was to help Republicans lowing Hofeller's recom-
seats among the states af- case. "What we're seeing trived." and non-Hispanic whites. mendation.
ter the 2020 census. Oppo- now is a reflection of that. Opponents argued it would In the District of Columbia, In Alabama, state offi-
nents say doing so would It's really about political intimidate immigrants, His- Democratic lawmakers cials and Republican U.S.
dilute the influence of mi- power in the long term." panics and others from sued Commerce Secretary Congressman Mo Brooks
norities and Democrats, Supporters of the question participating in the once- Wilbur Ross and Attorney sued the Census Bureau
which they argue was the say the U.S. should know a-decade head count that General William Barr for to exclude people in the
true intent of the Trump ad- how many citizens there determines how $1.5 trillion refusing to provide infor- country illegally from being
ministration's desire to add are. in federal spending is allo- mation for their investiga- counted when determin-
a citizenship question in the "It's important for us as a cated and how many con- tion. The lawmakers say ing congressional seats for
first place. country to know how many gressional seats each state they need documents be- each state. Their 2018 law-
The U.S. Constitution speci- people are citizens," U.S. gets. ing withheld to determine suit claims Alabama stands
fies that congressional dis- Rep. Jody Hice, a Republi- House Democrats investi- whether Congress should to lose a seat if people liv-
tricts should be based on can from Georgia, said last gating the citizenship ques- take emergency action ing in the country illegally
how many people — not week during a congressio- tion's origins said a Trump to protect the census from are included, diluting the
citizens — live there. But nal hearing. transition adviser was in partisan political interfer- state's representation in the
the legal requirements are Last June, the U.S. Supreme contact with an influen- ence. In New York, civil Electoral College.q